ActivEngage vs ContactAtOnce vs CarChat24?

[Sachin Raja]

I'm using Carchat24 for our main site through Autotrader.ca/dealer.com (AUTODOME, Selling Used Cars and Trucks in Mississauga, Toronto, Brampton| Used Cars Mississauga) . Results have been great. We use it on a fully managed system. The only downside that I have seen is that with the chats being managed, I cannot find out what percentage of chats result in leads. I would also love it if I could get transcripts of the chats that did not result in leads.

Haven't used any other chat providers. Shout to Ryan Thompson for the Carchat24 info, he is a great guy!

 

[Shereef]

I'm using Carchat24 for our main site through Autotrader.ca/dealer.com (AUTODOME, Selling Used Cars and Trucks in Mississauga, Toronto, Brampton| Used Cars Mississauga) . Results have been great. We use it on a fully managed system. The only downside that I have seen is that with the chats being managed, I cannot find out what percentage of chats result in leads. I would also love it if I could get transcripts of the chats that did not result in leads.

Haven't used any other chat providers. Shout to Ryan Thompson for the Carchat24 info, he is a great guy!

Hi Sachin,

You actually have access to everything mentioned and more via your CarChat24 Dealer Chat Software admin panel (We have strong advanced analytic reporting), and you can even set them up to email specific reports. Here is the URL to login. https://service11.carchat24.com/CC24BusinessWeb/Login.aspx I will email you your user name and password. Please give me a call and I will walk you through the admin panel.

 

[Stephen Hill]

We previously had Contact at once. We used it for about four months. We made the switch to ActivEngage and are much happier. We get close to double the chats than we had before. We also have activ manage the chat and it produces the best leads. Unfortunately, we do still have to use two platforms with autotrader and cars.com using CAO.

 

[mcampo2501]

@Shereef - I just finished reading The Unfair Advantage, and began looking a little harder at our chat performance after reading through your chapter. Lots of good information there, and thank you for your contribution. With that out of the way, I'm torn here because we actually do really well with C@O, and my BDC team loves the mobile chat integration. If we're lacking it's in the after hours area, so I like the rollover option you offer. Still trying to put together the cost analysis and make a decision, but certainly leaning toward carchat24 for at least the software only option. Any idea when we can expect a mobile chat option to be released? That is seemingly the deal breaker right now.

@Everyone else - I think chat is what you make it. If you're using software only chat, chances are your results can't be blamed or attributed to your chat provider. I have a top notch BDC team that would get appointments out of any software, so it really boils down to cost and ease of use. Train your people right and your chat performance will improve regardless of the software you use. Think of it like this. If you like to golf and are terrible at it, you have probably purchased many new clubs. Can anyone actaully say that they became a better golfer by purchasing different clubs? No... You go get lessons, and fix your swing. That's chat. If you're managing your own chat I recommend first making sure that the people handling your chats know what they're doing before worrying about which software they're using. That's my . Hope it helps.

 

[Jeff Kershner]

@Everyone else - I think chat is what you make it. If you're using software only chat, chances are your results can't be blamed or attributed to your chat provider. I have a top notch BDC team that would get appointments out of any software, so it really boils down to cost and ease of use. Train your people right and your chat performance will improve regardless of the software you use. Think of it like this. If you like to golf and are terrible at it, you have probably purchased many new clubs. Can anyone actaully say that they became a better golfer by purchasing different clubs? No... You go get lessons, and fix your swing. That's chat. If you're managing your own chat I recommend first making sure that the people handling your chats know what they're doing before worrying about which software they're using. That's my . Hope it helps.

As you can have the latest and greatest phone, but it's not going to make you any better of a phone ninja. okay - maybe not the best analogy.

Great point Mike. It's why most dealer fail at chat when managed inhouse. It's been awhile but here's a great thread I started "chat tracks". Like to see it revived and added to...

http://forum.dealerrefresh.com/f43/critiquing-live-dealer-chat-script-chat-tracks-1105.html

Maybe you have something to offer.

 

[Sachin Raja]

Hi Sachin,

You actually have access to everything mentioned and more via your CarChat24 Dealer Chat Software admin panel (We have strong advanced analytic reporting), and you can even set them up to email specific reports. Here is the URL to login. https://service11.carchat24.com/CC24BusinessWeb/Login.aspx I will email you your user name and password. Please give me a call and I will walk you through the admin panel.

THANK YOU! Excellent service. I had no idea that there was a web login, was never told when I signed up. I had actually asked about it as well. Took a browse around and there is some great info.

 

[Shereef]

@Shereef - I just finished reading The Unfair Advantage, and began looking a little harder at our chat performance after reading through your chapter. Lots of good information there, and thank you for your contribution. With that out of the way, I'm torn here because we actually do really well with C@O, and my BDC team loves the mobile chat integration. If we're lacking it's in the after hours area, so I like the rollover option you offer. Still trying to put together the cost analysis and make a decision, but certainly leaning toward carchat24 for at least the software only option. Any idea when we can expect a mobile chat option to be released? That is seemingly the deal breaker right now.

Mike,

Glad you got to read Unfair Advantage! There is lots of great info in that book

We will be done with the Android Mobile/Tablet and IPhone/IPad applications by month end. Android will be the first to be available. IPhone/IPad release will depend on how long it takes to review our application (Hopefully early to mid March). ContactAtOnce has good software, so does ActivEngage. My team has been building our new CarChat24 Dealer Chat Software for the last 19 months, and we have built what I believe to be the best Dealer Chat software (Built from scratch for Car Dealers). It is worth taking a no risk look at our Always-Free version, and we are currently giving 60 days free use of our 5 User Premium Pro version. I will post the link below for you to get the software. Anyone that has an interest is welcome to contact me to set up a walk through.

Auto Dealer Software : Carchat24.com

 

[mcampo2501]

It is worth taking a no risk look at our Always-Free version, and we are currently giving 60 days free use of our 5 User Premium Pro version. I will post the link below for you to get the software. Anyone that has an interest is welcome to contact me to set up a walk through.

Auto Dealer Software : Carchat24.com

Sounds fair. I'll download now and report back in 60 days to the forum with an update.

 

[sryan]

Long time activengage subscriber switching to carchat24.

I will update in 60 days to see the difference and report back..

 

[JohnH]

If there are any chat services on the market that enables people to "skin" the design, I found the design for Apple's chat to be simple and effective. I find the current chat designs on the market look very clunky. This is the kind of design I would like to see in the future, a very minimalistic design.